Do you smell that? Where’s that stench coming from? Is it the couch, curtains, or the carpet? Oh boy, Buddy did it again. It’s his litter box all that’s contaminating the house’s atmosphere. Got to clean that mess before it gets any worse!
Pet owners like yourself are used to situations like these. Just like your own BO, the pets give off their body scent which, to a point, becomes unbearable. You love your pet, but that doesn’t mean you should let your house stink like one. You see, pet odors aren’t only irritating, they’re also the source for numerous other problems. No matter how much you clean your dog, it’s still going to smell like a dog… because it’s a dog!
So what to do when the air you breathe is loaded with fumes of pet odor, you can only do what you’re meant to do. This article is going to show you the ways of how you can control pet odor in your home more effectively.
Here are 11 ways you should be counting on to get rid of that pet odor from your house. Make sure these don’t go along as one of those pesky pet peeves!
Sweeping And Mopping
Pets leave hair, fur, dander, and debris about everywhere in the house. These are quite light and might only be visible upon keen inspection. When not cleaned, these could cause health issues for the residents of the house.
The only best solution to clean this kind of mess is to sweep and mop the area. Do it in two steps: Use a dry sweep to gently accumulate the pet particles in one place, so they may not spread about the whole house. Sweep with delicate motions, and using a dustpan, drop it slowly in the trashcan.
To make sure the dust remains inside the dustbin, place a newspaper sheet or a paper towel over it. Once you’re done with the sweeping, mop the place to collect any debris you missed while sweeping. Fill the bucket with water and recommended amount of safe floor cleaner to mask the smell and disinfect the place.
Vacuum Frenzy
Just sweeping and mopping around the house isn’t necessary. The carpeted areas are the warehouses of dust, debris, and pet hair that goes deep inside the carpet fabric and doesn’t come out. For that reason, you need to keep vacuuming every square inch of your carpets.
Pet owners are usually recommended to keep dog-friendly rugs in their homes because these are easy to clean. Once you’re done with the floor and carpeting, it’s your furniture’s turn. From using the funnel to the nozzle, make sure you cover every crack and crevices of your furniture. Don’t forget to vacuum the curtains too (these can hide some nasty surprises as well).
It’s just as simple as vacuuming until you’re satisfied OR you might want to consider purchasing a pet vacuum that is designed specifically for homes with pets. Always remember to empty and clean the canister when you’re done with the vacuuming. Plus, keep the air filters in check to maintain the peak of performance.
Washing Up The Upholstery And Curtain Fabric
When we mentioned curtains, there’s more to their cleaning than just vacuuming. Your pets come constantly in contact with the fabric in your home as these could develop odors real fast, which makes washing a more frequently-required chore.
All the fabric, including your bed linens, pillow and cushion covers, and any machine-friendly fabric should be washed on a regular basis if you’re dealing with a serious pet odor problem. Don’t forget to do your laundry in the meantime, because with your house, you too could smell like your dog. Better wash your clothes to smell like yourself when you’re outside the house.
Wash Your Pet’s Bed
The smelliest thing other than your pet’s BO is its bed. This is your pet’s resting place which is entirely coated in hair, dirt, dander, saliva, and possibly, urine. All you have to do is just see if the bed cover is machine washable or requires to be hand-washed. Then wash it as per recommendation.
If the bed’s core gives off odor as well, make sure you wash that as well. Keep washing it until the stains and the odor wash off completely. Once it dries, use a cover protectant for making the bed fabric stain and spill resistant.
Allow For Some Ventilation
Nothing makes a place odorless than a breeze of the fresh air. Though it isn’t exactly the best kind of treatment, airing your place does help to alleviate the pet-induced odors. Start scheduling a full-ventilation program by opening all the windows and doors as well as opening all the ceiling fans. Turning on the fan of the central unit is also a plus.
Other than clearing your house’s atmosphere, keep your watch on Buddy, in case he runs out of the front door or jumps out right through the window.
Give Your Pet Regular Baths
Pets love to play – whether it’s cozy indoors or muddy outdoors. The smell their body produces might become amplified with the dirt and other filth, which is why regular baths have to be a regular ritual.
You can make the bath session an exciting experience by getting your pet some nice and warm water with your pet’s favorite toys. Use a pH-balanced shampoo that doesn’t dry up your pet’s skin. Rub it well all over the fur and have fun with the lather.
Just make sure to rinse Buddy well and remove all the traces of the soap. When you’re washing, don’t forget the hidden areas and crevices in your pet’s skin. Take caution when rinsing your animal friend’s face, especially the eyes.
Use Air Purifiers And Deodorizers Regularly
As the name indicates, an air purifier cleanses the air in your house. Equipped with a HEPA filter, it can trap the odor-causing dander, fine hair, allergens, and dust particles and save you all the air-borne allergies. It is, however, recommended that you must replace the filter every now and then in a few months.
You can bolster this air purifying technique by using deodorizers to target that pesky pet smell. You can buy commercial products or make your own deodorizers using mixtures of vinegar + essential oils and baking soda + water to combat the pathetic odors effectively.
Clean Old Pet Accidents With Enzyme Cleaners
No matter how much you clean, there will be some lasting spots from one of your pet’s recent activity. And as long as they remain, they continue to give off the pungent odor. The only way to wipe off your culprit’s traces is using a competent enzyme cleaner.
What makes it so effective? The enzyme cleaner breaks down the protein components present in the pet urine, feces, vomit, and drool and makes them loose enough to be wiped off easily. And as for masking the smell, the scent in the product covers fills the atmosphere with minty freshness or lime zestiness.
Replace The Litter With A Clean One
Know why Buddy was smelling earlier? You forgot to clean his litter box and it smelled bad of poop and urine. Buddy is happy with his job done, but as soon as he finishes, grab your scoop and empty the contents into a plastic bag before disposing it into a garbage can.
Wash the litter box once or twice a week to make it resistant against the smell. Once it dries up, fill it again and top it with a few sprinkles of baking soda for extra protection.
Get Your House Cleaned Professionally
When all else fails, the only thing you need is a professional cleaning service that offers complete pet odor removal services. Instead of turning over the yellow pages, scour for such service around you on the internet and select the one that has received more positive reviews for service, charges, and customer care. Anyhow, having your house evacuated of all the pet odor via a professional service once or twice is highly recommended.
